This solid sequel to My Life as a Book (2010) reintroduces 12-year-old Derek Fallon, who finds reading difficult and getting into trouble easy. In a snappy, first-person narrative, Derek explains how his world changes after a stunt coordinator finds him at a skateboard park and asks him to work on a movie in which preteen idol Tanya Billings stars! But Derek doesn't anticipate his best friend and fellow skateboarder, Matt, will be jealous of the gig, and Derek is shocked and hurt when Matt teams up with some other boysagainst Derek. This is a great package for kids, especially those like Derek who don't think they like to read. For instance, it shows that even if reading's not your thing, you may have talents elsewhere. And it also shows, through the fast-paced story (complete with amusing stick-figure drawings that illustrate difficult words), that reading might be your thing after all. The draw of the story is matched by Tashjian's keen observations of how kids really feel and how they interact with the world.

In this sequel to My Life as a Book, Derek still doesn't feel any love for school or reading, but he's having a blast with his athleticism. Noticed by a Hollywood stuntman while skateboarding, Derek's hired as a body double for the latest teen sensation (a girl, no less!). This fast-moving story, with Derek's copious doodles in the margins, is a fine diversionary read.

In this satisfying stand-alone companion to My Life as a Book (2010), 12-year-old Derek Fallon thinks landing a job as stuntboy for megastar Tanya Billings must be as good as it gets. After all, the infamously reluctant reader had finally found his niche! The plot, however, thickens: "This morning I was on a movie set doing stunts, talking to a movie star. By the end of the day, my best friend's making fun of me, I have a homework tutor, and my mother's going to cut open my adopted monkey to retrieve my horse. How do these things happen?" As Derek's well-meaning parents tirelessly engage in what sound like rehearsed "teacher moments," their son realistically vacillates between self-doubt and boyish bravado—all in a dry, funny first-person voice. Derek's Yoda-like parkour/stunt coach Tony also has many life lessons for the stuntboy, such as "Parkour is about making your way around obstacles." The family's foster capuchin monkey Frank provides a hairy subplot, as does Derek's nagging worry about losing his best friend Matt, suddenly jealous about Derek's newfound fame. The generous margins are filled with Derek's often quite clever stick-figure cartoons illustrating vocabulary words such as "flabbergasted" and "camouflage"—all rendered by the author's teenage son. Another fun, emotionally resonant read for the Wimpy Kid set and beyond. (Fiction. 9-14) 

Gr 4-7 Twelve-year-old Derek Fallon, from My Life as a Book (Holt, 2010), returns to face another school year and the dreaded task of reading. However, there are some bright spots in his days, including Frank, his capuchin monkey; his best friend, Matt; and the sport of parkour, which uses climbing, jumping, and running to get around obstacles. The boys' friendship is tested when Derek's parkour skills attract the interest of a Hollywood stuntman. Derek is ecstatic when he gets hired to be a "stuntboy," but shocked when he discovers that he's the double for a popular teen actress-and a pretty one, too. After his monkey is stolen, he needs all his friends and parkour skills to help with the rescue. Likely intended for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Abrams, 2007) crowd, this book won't disappoint Greg Heffley's fans, even if Tashjian's humor is milder than Kinney's sharp wit. The details about parkour and a behind-the-scenes peek at filmmaking add interesting information. Stick-figure illustrations cleverly show Derek's practice of drawing his vocabulary words, e.g., the sketch for "analyze" has a stick figure boy scratching his head while staring at a blackboard. They add depth when depicting words readers may find unfamiliar, such as "heinous" and "reverie." However, a great number of them ("gymnasium," "nerdy") need no explanation and are simply humorous. A fast-moving plot and relatable protagonist make this stand-alone sequel a good choice for boys who, like Derek, would rather reach for a TV remote or game controller than a book. M. Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY